Economics of Land Degradation

IFPRI/ZEF study cited at UN meeting on desertification

A recent IFPRI/ZEF study on the economics of land degradation was a topic of discussion at this week's UN High-Level meeting on desertification. Andris Piebbalgs, the EU commissioner for development, cited the research findings in his speech to the General Assembly, and a side event followed where the study's results and future actions were discussed in more detail.

Land degradation poses a serious threat to long-term food security, yet investments in its prevention and mitigation have lagged. The authors of the new study analyze why this is the case and recommend three priority actions for the international development community: